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The Assessment of Professional Competence - Associate

The Route from Associate to Chartered Membership


[Version: August 2011]

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Contents

Introduction .........................................................................................................................................2 Associate Membership ....................................................................................................................2 A route from Associate to Chartered Membership .........................................................................2

The Process of Application ..................................................................................................................3 Initial Screening interview ..............................................................................................................3 The Portfolio ...................................................................................................................................3 Aspects of Planning (Units of Competence) ...................................................................................5 Sub-sections of Units of Competence .............................................................................................5 Learning Outcomes.........................................................................................................................5 The Professional Narrative of Learning ........................................................................................11 Evidence........................................................................................................................................11 The Professional Development Plan and CPD Record .................................................................12

Assessment .........................................................................................................................................12

Outcomes ...........................................................................................................................................14

Fees....................................................................................................................................................14

Advice and Guidance for Candidates ................................................................................................15 Professional Narrative of Learning ...............................................................................................15 Evidence........................................................................................................................................15 Filling gaps in knowledge and experience ....................................................................................16 Mentor...........................................................................................................................................16 Word limits ...................................................................................................................................17

Appendix 1: Statement of Education and Experience ........................................................................18

Appendix 2: Sample Table of Contents for Portfolio .........................................................................20

Appendix 3: Suggested format for observation of practice................................................................21

Appendix 4: Template for Professional Development Plan...............................................................26

Appendix 5: Statement of Authorship ................................................................................................28

Appendix 6: Assessors’ feedback form ..............................................................................................29



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Introduction

Associate Membership

Associate Membership is awarded in recognition of academic achievement

and demonstrable involvement in or engagement with particular area(s) of

spatial planning.

The RTPI’s vision for planning is as an inclusive activity encompassing more

than traditional statutory land-use planning. A diverse range of professionals

contribute to furthering this spatial planning agenda, and Associate

Membership is designed to engage with and offer recognition for these

individuals.

Candidates for Associate Membership must have:

• A bachelors degree qualification, or equivalent, and

• Eligible experience in spatial planning, of varying number of years

depending on the nature of the academic and/or professional

qualification held.

Associate Membership is designed to offer a membership class for those who

do not hold an accredited planning degree but have demonstrable experience

in spatial planning in its broadest sense. Associate Membership might

therefore appeal to:

• UK planners who do not hold an accredited qualification;

• Planners whose initial professional education was conducted overseas;

• Teachers and researchers in planning and its related fields;

• Members of other allied built environment professional Institutes

engaged with spatial planning

Associate Membership is not available to candidates who are eligible for

Licentiate Membership.

A route from Associate to Chartered Membership

For many people working in planning Associate Membership will be the most

appropriate class of membership. However, some Associate Members will

wish to seek Chartered Membership of the Institute. In many cases the most

appropriate means of achieving this, would be to enrol on a Masters Degree at

an accredited planning school. For candidates with extensive experience

and/or a non-accredited qualification in planning or a related discipline the

process outlined below is intended to provide a route from Associate to

Chartered Membership. This process is intended to rigorously examine skills,



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knowledge and experience and to preserve the integrity and status of

Chartered Membership of the Institute.

The Process of Application

Initial Screening interview

Candidates seeking to progress from Associate to Chartered Membership

should complete a Statement of Education and Experience (Appendix 1) and

send this, together with the appropriate fee to:

Membership Department

Royal Town Planning Institute

41 Botolph Lane

London EC3R 8DL

A member of staff will arrange a time and date for a telephone interview. The

purpose of the interview is to ensure that this is the appropriate route to

Chartered Membership and to agree a target date for submission.

N.B. The Portfolio must be submitted within 24 months of the date of the

interview.

If you should fail to submit within the specified time period then you must

arrange another interview (and pay the appropriate fee).

The Portfolio

You must submit three copies of the portfolio.

The Portfolio should be organised so as to correspond to the Units of

Professional Competence (see table below) and should aim to demonstrate

that the learning outcomes have been achieved at an appropriate level. For

each Unit of Competence you should prepare a Professional Narrative of

Learning (PNL). This is the claim for competence in the Unit in question.

You will need to support the statements in this narrative with reference to

evidence included in the portfolio.

N.B. Where the term ‘practice’ is used in the following Units of

Competence it is intended that this shall include the ‘practice’ of

teaching planning and researching aspects of planning. It does not

include generic aspects of teaching and research such as those that

might apply to academics working in any discipline.



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The evidence of learning presented in the portfolio is likely to be a

combination of Certificated Learning and Learning from Experience.

Certificated Learning

Certificated (or formal) learning is learning that has been achieved on a non-

RTPI accredited planning degree. It should be a relatively simple process to

map formal learning onto the learning outcomes for each Units of

Professional Competence.

Learning from Experience

Evidence of learning from experience should allow an assessor to make

accurate judgements about the extent and level of learning, knowledge and

skills you may have acquired through life, employment, work experience or

study which is not formally recognised in the form of an educational or

professional certificate.

You will need to demonstrate that what you have learned and achieved

through past experiences is equivalent to what is needed for a successful

application for Chartered Membership of the Institute; normally an accredited

degree at Masters level and an Assessment of Professional Competence

following two years’ experience in practice. You will also need to demonstrate

that your experiential learning is still current.

It is important to remember that credit is awarded for the learning you have

gained from your experiences, not for the experiences themselves.



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Aspects of Planning (Units of Competence)

Sub-sections of Units of Competence Learning Outcomes

Candidates must provide evidence that they are able to:

Reflect on the arguments for and against

spatial planning and particular theoretical

approaches

Knowledge and Understanding of Spatial

Planning

Assess what can be learned from experience

of spatial planning in different contexts and

spatial scales

Generate integrated and well substantiated

responses to spatial planning challenges

Contribute to the development and delivery

of creative, coherent and integrated plans

within the relevant institutional and legal

frameworks

Demonstrate a critical understanding of the

principles and processes of design for

creating high quality places and enhancing

the public realm for the benefit of all in

society

1. Integrated Spatial Planning

In this Unit candidates are asked to reflect

upon issues beyond land-use planning,

such as inequalities in health and

education, energy policy, urban design and

the rural economy. Spatial Planning in Practice

Demonstrate how efficient resource

management helps to deliver effective



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spatial planning

Demonstrate an understanding of the

principles of equality and equality of

opportunity in relation to spatial planning

Equality and Diversity

Reflect on examples in their own work of

enabling, improving and promoting access

and a respect for diversity of cultures,

views and ideologies

Reflect on the importance of stakeholder

involvement, community engagement and

public participation in the planning process

Show through evidence in practice

engagement and communication with a

diverse range of stakeholders

Explain the political and ethical nature of

spatial planning and demonstrate in

practice examples of working effectively

within democratic decision-making

structures and engaging a wide range of

stakeholders.

2. Inclusive Planning

In this Unit candidates are asked to reflect

upon: the role of planning in reducing

social and spatial inequalities; meeting the

expectations and aspirations of

communities for greater influence on the

impact of development and the quality of

the environment; and the role of

community engagement. Planning cannot

always be achieved through consensus, so

clear and equitable decision making is

essential.

Working with Stakeholders

Evaluate the impact that development

decisions have on different stakeholders.

Show from practice how this can be taken

into account in planning decision-making



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Recognise the role in the planning process

of such skills as negotiation, mediation, and

advocacy and provide evidence of the

effective use of these skills in practice

Explain the values underlying

interpretations of sustainability, and

drawing on examples from practice, reflect

upon what sustainability implies about the

role of planning in promoting social and

economic development, while conserving

environmental, social and cultural heritages

for transmission to future generations

Sustainable values

Explain the contribution that planning can

make to the built and natural environment

and in particular the implications of climate

change.

Explain the relationship between market

processes, built form, patterns of movement

and different development models

3. Sustainable Planning

In this Unit candidates are asked to

demonstrate an understanding of the often

conflicting objectives of economic

development, social justice and inclusion,

environmental integrity and integrated

transport.

Development Economics

Evaluate different development strategies

and the practical application of

development finance; asses the implications

for generating added value for the

community



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Debate the concept of rights, including the

balance between individual and collective

rights

The Legal Framework

Debate the legal and practical implications

of representing rights in planning decision-

making process

Demonstrate how the RTPI Code of

Professional Conduct impacts on the

candidate’s work in professional practice

4. Legal and Ethical Frameworks

In this Unit candidates are asked to show

knowledge and understanding of the legal

system within which planning operates and

critically reflect upon the ethical issues

facing them in professional practice. Ethics in Professional Practice

Reflect on the ethical issues encountered in

professional practice and how these can be

resolved.

Demonstrate critical awareness in assessing

the success of a course of action

Demonstrate engagement in a process of

continual review, including re-evaluation of

professional activity

The characteristics of the reflective

practitioner

Give evidence of how critical reflection on a

particular piece of work impacted on

subsequent practice

Evidence how CPD activities specifically

contribute to learning and the ongoing

development of professional skills

5. Professional Practice

In this Unit candidates are asked to show

how reflection on their professional practice

leads to continuous improvement and an

ability to identify and address their own

development needs.

Lifelong learning

Demonstrate a commitment to sharing

knowledge and expertise with planners and



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other professionals.

Engage in theoretical and practical debates

at the forefront of the area of specialism

Evaluate the social, economic,

environmental and political context for the

area of specialism

Within a spatial planning context,

conceptualise the relationship of the

particular area of specialism to other areas

of specialist expertise.

Specialist Knowledge and Understanding

Assess contribution of the specialism to the

mitigation of, and adaptation to, climate

change.

Demonstrate an ability to identify research

questions and/or identify issues or

problems to be addressed

Frame problems with regard to technical,

procedural, political, legal, ethical and other

factors

6. Specialist Expertise

In this Unit candidates are asked to

demonstrate a depth of knowledge and

understanding in an area of specialist

expertise.

Research and Problem Solving

Demonstrate effective research, analytical,

evaluation and appraisal skills



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Demonstrate the ability to reach

appropriate, evidence based decisions or

recommendations and communicate these

effectively



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The Professional Narrative of Learning

For each Unit of Professional Competence you are asked to produce a

statement (no more than 2000 words), the Professional Narrative of Learning

(PNL), in which you outline your claim for prior learning. The PNL should

be a reflective statement, drawing on examples of formal and informal

learning. Formal learning will usually be courses of study which you have

undertaken, and for which you have certificates and other documentation

which demonstrate that you have passed the qualification in question. It is

not necessarily enough to have passed the qualification at a date in the past;

you may also need to show how you have kept your knowledge and

understanding up-to-date, or enhanced it in the light of changed

circumstances, such as moving to a different legal jurisdiction. Informal

learning may have taken place as the result of work or other experience. Here

it is particularly important to reflect on the learning that has taken place as a

result of the experience. It is for example possible to learn from an experience

that did not go well. The assessors will not necessarily be looking for

evidence that you always do everything perfectly, but that in reflecting on

your experience, you can demonstrate that learning has taken place.

For each Unit of Professional Competence you must show how you meet

each of the learning outcomes and how you have kept that learning up to

date. You should set your demonstration of the learning outcomes in the

context of the broader statement in the left hand column. However, failure to

specifically address a learning outcomes will result in the Assessors failing

you on that Unit of Professional Competence.

The statements made in the PNL must be cross referenced to evidence.

Evidence

In the ‘Evidence’ sections of the Portfolio you will need to produce evidence

of your learning, which might include:

• Certificates and Module Outlines from a course of study

• Samples of coursework

• Samples of professional work

• Practice-based documents

• Reports on observations of practice

• Witness testimony from relevant people such as line managers,

colleagues, those who can confirm your achievement/learning gained



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Portfolios will consist of a combination of certificated evidence from formal

learning and evidence of experiential learning. This is because where

learning has been achieved through a formal course of study it will need to be

supplemented by learning in practice and the learning will need to have been

kept up to date to maintain its currency.

You should not expect the Assessors to read through all of your evidence.

They will refer to it as required, in much the same way that you might not

read all the footnotes in a book or article, but you are likely to follow up on

those that particularly interest you. It is thus not enough to include material

about a learning outcome in the evidence, if it is not specifically referred to in

the Professional Narrative of Learning.

The Professional Development Plan and CPD Record

You should submit a Professional Development Plan, looking forward for the

next two years and a record of the last two years of CPD in accordance with

the Code of Professional Conduct (Clause 1(a) and Supplementary

Regulations A1), the Professional Guidance Note and Guidance published on

the RTPI website.

Assessment

Your portfolio will be reviewed by two assessors. They must evaluate your

submission in terms of:

Authenticity Is the evidence genuine, and clearly your own achievement?

Relevance Is the learning demonstrated by the evidence relevant to the Unit

of Competence? This means that it must be at Masters level, meet the learning

outcomes, and cover the relevant knowledge, skills and experience.

Validity Does the evidence support your claim? Is it relevant to the learning

outcomes for the unit?

Level Are the learning, knowledge, skills and achievements demonstrated

though the evidence at Masters level?

A Masters level learner has been characterised as:



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• Exhibiting self-regulation and autonomy and is in a position to

disseminate knowledge

• Having their own perception of extensive theoretical knowledge

and can produce new knowledge in a specialist area.1

Is there evidence that the candidate has achieved the level of the experience

commensurate with Chartered Membership of the RTPI?

Sufficiency Is there sufficient evidence to support your claim?

Currency Is the learning current, or if not, is there evidence of appropriate

updating?

The evidence you present must show that you are familiar with the

appropriate knowledge, skills and experience for the learning claimed,

including the ability to evaluate your professional practice within this

framework. For example, if you are submitting evidence that you are able to:

Generate imaginative and well substantiated responses to spatial planning

challenges,

then some knowledge of the theories and models relating to spatial planning

would be expected and an ability to evaluate your own practice critically -

possibly focusing on a specific case or incident.

The assessors may, at their discretion, balance exceptional strength in one or

more Unit of Competence against limited experience in another, provided

that they can satisfy themselves that there is evidence of 'threshold' levels of

competence in all units.

Each claim is individual, and will be considered on its own merits.

1 Lovemore Nyatanga, Dawn Forman and Jane Fox, Good Practice in the Accreditation of Prior

Learning, (London 1998) 63.



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Outcomes

In order to progress to Chartered Membership of the Institute assessors need

to satisfy themselves that you have reached the appropriate standard in each

of the six Units of Professional Competence AND that you have submitted a

satisfactory Professional Development Plan and CPD record.

Should you pass one or more of the Units of Competence you may hold that

‘pass’ for a period of up to two years, during which time you may re-submit

any failed Units of Competence. After two years have elapsed, you will need

to demonstrate to the assessors that the skills and knowledge have been

maintained through further experience and/or appropriate CPD. Where you

are re-submitting aspects of your portfolio, you must on each occasion submit

the entire portfolio (including previously passed units) and a revised

Professional Development Plan. The institute will not consider incomplete

portfolios. You may not submit Units of Competence one at a time.

Fees

Registration (including Initial Screening Interview) .........................£60.00

Submission of Portfolio ........................................................................£360.00

Re-submission (Per unit of Competence) ............................................£70.00

Re-submission (Professional Development Plan) ..............................£70.00



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Advice and Guidance for Candidates

Professional Narrative of Learning

When preparing the Professional Narrative of Learning you will need to

explain: how you have acquired your learning, and how you have put that

learning into practice? When explaining your practice, the assessors will be

looking to see that you exhibit the characteristics of a lifelong learner; that is

to say, someone who continues to reflect on their practice and to learn from

their experiences.

Evidence

The RTPI cannot undertake to return original documents (e.g. Degree

Certificates). It is your responsibility to demonstrate to the assessors the

authenticity of qualifications. It is recommended that a good quality

photocopy be made of any certificates and that you show BOTH the copy and

the original to a Chartered Member of the Institute (perhaps your mentor)

and that the member should write a signed and dated statement on the copy,

that s/he has seen the original and that as far as they can tell this appears to be

a bona fide certificate.

N.B. The Institute reserves the right, at any time, to request sight of the

original documentation.

Where you are presenting documents drawn from your professional practice

it may be advisable to have a colleague or senior manager endorse such

documents, indicating the extent to which this represents your own work, or

the role that the you played in a piece of work created as part of a team.

The Institute recognises that for reasons of confidentiality it may sometimes

be necessary to anonymise documents.

You may wish to submit evidence in the form of a manager, colleague or

client’s observation of your work in practice. This may be particularly

appropriate where the work is of a transitory nature, e.g. contribution to a

meeting, or the delivering of a presentation. Such observations should be

supported with appropriate documentation, e.g. agenda and minutes,

handouts or slides. You should advise observers to record the date, duration,

and purpose of the meeting and to make reference to specific learning

outcomes and the candidates own contribution. Observers should also give

consideration to the candidate’s preparation for the event, and any follow up

actions. It would be considered best practice if you reflected on your own



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performance at the same event. What were your aims and objectives? To

what extend did you fulfil these? What did you learn from the experience?

How might you modify your practice in similar situations in the future?

There are no word limits for documents submitted as evidence. However,

where documents are lengthy, you are strongly advised to direct the assessors

to the particularly relevant sections, using page and paragraph referencing, or

highlighting.

Filling gaps in knowledge and experience

Where you find that you have a gap in your knowledge and experience, it

may not be practical to gain this experience in your current working

environment. In these circumstances it may be appropriate for you to

undertake a formal course of study, to make good the shortfall, or to acquire

relevant experience through voluntary work (e.g. with Planning Aid). Mentor

Mentors fulfil a variety of different roles in relation to the individual with

whom they are paired. At any one time the mentor might be a coach, a

counsellor, a facilitator of networking opportunities, or critical friend.

The role of the Mentor is to provide support and advice as a fellow planning

professional.

Mentors are not trained Assessors and will not be able to accurately predict

the outcome of your submission. It is not the mentor’s responsibility to

instruct or direct your progress, nor will they set objectives on your behalf.

However, the mentor can and should provide advice in all these areas.

The Mentor is expected to:

• Guide and encourage;

• Assist you drawing out relevant professional experience;

• Guide you towards becoming more critically reflective;

• Provide support and advice on professional and professionally-

related matters;

• Support you in the preparation of your portfolio.

When selecting a Mentor you should read the above bullet points and choose

someone with these in mind.



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Please be mindful that the Mentor is volunteering their time and effort and

not under ‘obligation’ to you. The relationship needs to be one that both sides

approach in a professional, understanding and supportive manner.

Word limits

All word limits are mandatory. Units of Competence or the entire portfolio

may be failed where the mandatory word limits are exceeded.

Whilst there are no word limits for the Evidence supplied in support of the

Professional Narratives of Learning, experience suggests that a concise

presentation of evidence is most effective.

Presentation

Details of how to present the portfolio for electronic submission will be issued

in before the end of 2011.



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Appendix 1: Statement of Education and Experience

(To be submitted prior to Initial Screening Interview together with fee. Submit an updated version with the application.)

A: Personal details

Name of Candidate:

Membership Number:

Address:

Telephone Home:

Work:

Mobile:

Email address:

B: Education

Institution Qualification Date



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C: Employment History

Employer Post(s) Dates

D: Description of Planning Employment (max 1000 words)



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Appendix 2: Sample Table of Contents for Portfolio

1. Contact details

2. Statement of Education and Experience

3. Professional Narratives of Learning

a. Integrated Spatial Planning

b. Inclusive Planning

c. Sustainable Planning

d. Legal and Ethical Frameworks

e. Professional Practice

f. Specialist Expertise

4. Evidence in Support of the PNL

5. CPD Record

6. Professional Development Plan

7. Signed Statement of Authorship



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Appendix 3: Suggested format for observation of practice.

From time-to-time you may wish, as part of your portfolio of evidence, to

submit an observation of your practice by a colleague, manager, mentor or

other relevant individual. This would be particularly appropriate where the

event in question is of a transitory nature, e.g. a meeting or presentation. You

may wish to bear in mind that the weight attached to such an observation

may be related to the appropriateness of the chosen observer and to the

thoroughness with which the observation is documented. It is your

responsibility to brief the observer appropriately. As an aid to candidates and

your chosen observers a template for the observation of practice is included

here. You are strongly advised to use the template as this gives a clear

indication of the sort of information for which the assessors will be looking.

It is considered good practice for the observer and the candidate to discuss

the event in advance of the observation. The template indicates the sort of

information that should be covered in such a pre-meeting (Section B). It is

also recommended that the observer feeds back to the candidate (Section D),

and that you reflect on the observation (Section E).



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Observation of practice template

A: Personal details

Name of Candidate:

Name of Observer:

Relationship of observer to candidate

(e.g. colleague; line manager, mentor,

client etc.):

B: Preparing for the observation of practice

(To be completed jointly by the candidate and the observer at a meeting in

advance of the event observed.)

A brief description of the nature of the event

Date: Duration:

Location:

What does the candidate hope to achieve at this event? (List aims, objectives,

and state how they will know that they have been achieved.)

Which learning outcome(s) is the candidate seeking to address through this

observation of practice? (Normally, not more than two)

Reference to the learning outcomes and how they have been demonstrated in

section C, D and E.



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C: Record of the observation

What contribution did the candidate make to the event observed?

(Observers may include here reference to evidence of preparation, and follow-

up as well as direct observation of the event itself.)

To what extent were the aims and objectives achieved?

(Aims or objectives not achieved may not necessarily reflect badly on the

candidate. Give reasons for limited success or failure to achieve objectives.

This will help the candidate reflect and learn.)



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D: Observer’s feedback to the candidate

Signature:

Date:

Contact details:



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E: Candidate’s reflection on the observation of practice

Candidate’s

signature:

Date:



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Appendix 4: Template for Professional Development Plan

Professional Development Plan (PDP)

Period of plan (next two years):

Date of next review (at least annually):

Name:

Membership number:

Where am I now?

Current job title and employer details (name of employer, type and size of practice):

Current job/role (jobs you are expected to do, areas you need to be knowledgeable about and skills you need to possess):

Current strengths

Current areas for development



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What are my career goals?

Long term career goals (5 years +)

Short term career goals (1-2 years)

What do I need to do to get there? Your objectives should relate to your career goals and areas for development. Objective How will I get there? How will I know that

I have got there? Target date for review and/or completion

Signed______________________________________________ Date__________________ Signed (mentor – if applicable)__________________________ Date__________________



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Appendix 5: Statement of Authorship

Personal details

Name of Candidate:

Membership Number:

Address:

Telephone Home:

Work:

Mobile:

Email address:

Plagiarism

Plagiarism is the misrepresentation of the work of others as one’s own

(including ideas, arguments, words, diagrams, images or data). It includes

the explicit claim that another’s work is one’s own and, no less seriously, the

failure to acknowledge adequately the sources used. This applies whatever

the source of the material (for example, a published source, the World-Wide

Web, a verbal communication, or the work of colleague).

Plagiarism is a form of dishonesty.

Declaration

I certify that the Portfolio submitted to the Institute is my own work and use

of material from other sources has been properly and fully acknowledged in

the text. I have read the definition of plagiarism given above. I understand

that the consequence of committing plagiarism and if proven this may

constitute a breach of the Code of Professional Conduct.

In submitting (whether signed or not) this statement of authorship, I am

agreeing to the Institute using any available tools and techniques to detect

plagiarism. I may be asked to provide a copy of this work in an electronic

format to facilitate this process and agree to supply this promptly, if

requested to do so.

Candidate’s Signature:

Date:



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Appendix 6: Assessors’ feedback form



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Documents

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